


Wolf of Fog

by Higuchimon



Category: Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Power Rangers
Genre: Diversity Writing Challenge, Drabblechap Competition, Gen, Three-Sided Box Challenge
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-01
Updated: 2018-01-22
Packaged: 2019-02-26 15:04:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 26
Words: 8,265
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13238259
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Higuchimon/pseuds/Higuchimon
Summary: The wolf runs.  He seeks his pack and safety but beings he doesn’t understand give chase.  And only by trusting the pack he can’t remember can he find his way home.





	1. Chapter 1

**Title:** Wolf of Fog  
 **Characters:** Billy, Goldar, Zedd|| **Romance:** N/A  
 **Word Count:** chapter: 300||story: 300|| **Chapter Count:** 1/26  
 **Genre:** Drama|| **Rated:** PG  
 **Challenges:** Diversity Writing Challenge, H10, 6+ chapters; Three-Sided Box Challenge, 300 words, 26 chapters; Drabblechap Competition  
 **Summary:** The wolf runs. He seeks his pack and safety but beings he doesn’t understand give chase. And only by trusting the pack he can’t remember can he find his way home.

* * *

He ran. 

All four paws struck the ground and he ran as if the hounds of hell gave chase. 

Wasn’t he stronger than hellhounds? Were hellhounds even real? 

He didn’t remember. He only knew he had to run. 

He only heard the laugh that followed him, saw the strange shapes around him, ones that made no sense to his mind. 

That was wrong too, wasn’t it? That wasn’t what he should think. 

But thinking otherwise wasn’t possible. Not for him. Not now. 

He could only run and hope that whatever he fled didn’t catch him. 

Something struck the ground ahead of him and he leaped back, snarling. Was this an attack of some kind? What kind? Who? Whoever chased him? 

A shape loomed overhead and a strong stench filled his nostrils. He didn’t recognize it with a name but rage boiled within. This was an enemy! Perhaps not the one that gave chase but an enemy all the same. The two ran in the same pack. 

They fought his pack. He had a pack. He wasn’t meant to be alone. 

But where were the others? 

The attacker ahead moved forward, a weapon of some kind raised. He snarled more, claws digging into the forest loam. This wasn’t right. He knew more than this; he knew that he knew. 

The fog in his mind roiled up, blotting out what he thought he knew. He backed away, snarling yet again, and snapped at the stranger, coated in metal like the sun, but with none of the sun’s warmth or life. When the stranger moved back, he took his chance and darted to the side, sliding into the undergrowth, and ran once more. 

**To Be Continued**

**Notes:** My first chaptered Power Ranger piece in a couple of years. As it’s for a competition and thus has a deadline to be finished by, I will update twice a day for the first few days. I hope you enjoy the story!


	2. Chapter 2

**Word Count:** chapter: 300||story: 600|| **Chapter Count:** 2/26

* * *

“Goldar, you idiot! How did you let him get away? He was right in front of you! Do I have to do everything myself around here?” 

“I don’t know, Lord Zedd, he moved faster than I thought he would!” 

“Of course he did, lamebrain! Your lack of deodorant alone probably warned him you were there. But I’m giving you one more chance to track him down and bring him back here. I’ve gone to too much effort to bring out his inner beast to let him go.” 

“I won’t fail you!” 

“You’d better not, or I’ll turn you into a rug and use you to keep my feet warm. At least then you’d finally be useful!” 

“You won’t have long to wait.” 

“I’d better not.” 

“Are you sure that buffoon can do the job? I don’t think he’s capable of catching a cold myself.” 

“Don’t you worry yourself, my noxious blossom. Even if he fails, I can track our prey and trap him myself.” 

“Are you sure about _that_? He did get away from you.” 

“Only because your idiot brother distracted me! And _that_ better not happen again, either! Why does he even stay around here? Doesn’t he have somewhere else to be?” 

“I don’t know. The last I heard before he came here was that Mother and Father sent him to his room for five thousand years because he broke Father’s favorite statue of himself.” 

“I would have made it fifty thousand myself.” 

**To Be Continued**

**Notes:** I have no idea of why I wrote this one in all dialogue.


	3. Chapter 3

**Word Count:** chapter: 300||story: 900|| **Chapter Count:** 3/26

* * *

He didn’t dare stop running. The creature gave chase from the air though it wasn’t a bird. It flew like one, if lumbering and clumsy. But that meant it could keep up with him, no matter what tricks he tried. Crossing water to break up his scent meant nothing when his pursuer could track him from the air. He couldn’t find anywhere to hide, not with those hideous eyes on him all the time. If he tried to duck underneath a bush or to lose his trail on rocks or dry earth, the creature stuck as close to him as possible, driving him out from shelter all too soon. 

He saw a strip of woods ahead, tall trees he knew he could hide underneath, and to make it even better, the tree branches wove together far too tightly for his pursuer to fit. Perhaps the other would dash to the other side expecting him to come out there. 

But he wouldn’t. 

A plan dawned, risky but worth it to shake the chase and give him time to rest. He leaped forward even faster, aiming for the heart of the forest there. 

The hunter made noises that he couldn’t understand. They sounded impatient or angry and certainly not something he wanted to listen to for very long. The faster he ran for the trees, the more the wind of the creature’s wings blew through his fur. A winged shadow came closer and closer, and he saw he was being reached for… 

With a yelp he threw himself to one side, just missing being seized, and scrambled to get back to his paws. He needed to hide. The woods drew closer. He had to hope they were close enough. 

**To Be Continued**

**Notes:** Poor Billy. And my fun is just beginning!


	4. Chapter 4

**Word Count:** chapter: 300||story: 1,200|| **Chapter Count:** 4/26

* * *

Only a few beeps, whirrs and the occasional shuffle of feet as someone moved from one side of the Command Center to the other made any real noise there. Everyone was too busy to do anything more than the softest of murmurs as they searched for their missing friend. 

Rocky broke it, leaning against the console - and internally hoping he didn’t blow something up by doing so - and letting out a long, frustrated growl. 

“What did Rita and Zedd do to him?” Rocky wanted to know. It was a question raised time and again over the last day. No matter how often it were asked, no one knew the answer to it. 

Aisha stared at the readouts, wishing they made more sense. They would to Billy; she didn’t doubt that. But if he were there to read them, they might not need this in the first place. 

What they knew wasn’t much. Billy headed home alone. Safe enough to do, even for a Power Ranger. But he’d never made it there. They could see the records; he’d been ambushed by Goldar, Rito, and Tenga warriors. It spoke well to how much he’d learned that it took some kind of a spell to knock him out. But then he’d vanished with them and there hadn’t been a sign since. 

It had only been a few hours but that was plenty of time for their enemies to do who knew what to him. And yet…no sign. Not of Billy, not of Goldar or Rito, no hint of Rita or Zedd’s presence on Earth at all. 

Not even Zordon knew what it could mean. And all feared finding out. 

**To Be Continued**

**Notes:** Double updates tomorrow  & Thursday, then just one a day until the end.


	5. Chapter 5

**Word Count:** chapter: 300||story: 1,500|| **Chapter Count:** 5/26

* * *

Loud cries of frustration rose up behind him as he darted into the underbrush at last. His coat could resist the thorns and twigs reaching for him but the creature didn’t seem to want to trust his hide to it. Whatever the reason, he didn’t care. He squirmed his way in, wriggling and twisting until he knew not even that creature could find him. 

A rocky outcropping provided a place to rest. He flopped underneath it and panted, tongue hanging out, hoping he could finally catch his breath. He’d had to run too fast too long and he wanted to find a place to drink and to hunt. 

In the extreme back of his mind, a vague image of somewhere, filled with humans who smiled and laughed and made him welcome, for he was one of them, shimmered for a few heartbeats before being subsumed again by the more immediate constraints of rest and what sketchy plans for the future he could craft. 

As much as he needed food, water, and shelter, he needed to find his pack, and a way to keep the creature off of his trail forever. Most hunters pursued only for food or to defend their homes. He wasn’t a threat to anyone’s home, nor did he hunt whatever the creature chose as his prey. This, he knew, was an exception and one he would have to deal with. Just running away wasn’t going to solve it. Something else would have to be done. 

It would have to involve his pack. Alone he couldn’t do enough. The creature wished harm to him and alone, culd do it. But with his pack… 

He would be safe. 

But how to find his pack? 

**To Be Continued**

**Notes:** So Billy is safe. For now. And how did he get into this mess?


	6. Chapter 6

**Word Count:** chapter: 300||story: 1,800|| **Chapter Count:** 6/26

* * *

Goldar slashed at the offending tree branches, trying to snatch them out of his way. Lord Zedd would never forgive him if he lost the Blue Ranger. And yet that appeared to be exactly what had just happened. The trees wove together too tightly for him to try to get through and if he did much more damage, he’d risk hurting Zedd’s target. That really wasn’t a good idea. 

He roared in frustration; how could someone who couldn’t even think like a human anymore do this? That was part of Zedd’s plan in the first place: remove the brightest Ranger and transform him into a creature that only existed by its instincts, and then once he was trained to do as Zedd wished, use him to hunt down the other Rangers. 

Goldar didn’t know much about magic; he’d tried to study it when he was a youngling himself, but he’d never had the knack for it. But just from watching Rita and Zedd all these many eons, he could guess a few things, and he presumed that somehow, at least some of Billy’s intelligence remained. 

Or wolves were a lot smarter than anyone gave them credit for. Perhaps, he wondered, someone like Finster should learn more about them, so they could figure out what the changed Ranger might do or where he might go. 

Bah. That wasn’t his job. He took to the air again, aiming to cross to the other side of the woods and wait there for his prey. No matter how long it took, he would be there when the wolf came out again. 

At least this time he didn’t have to wait with Rito. 

**To Be Continued**

**Notes:** Poor Goldar. Blocked by trees. And a wolf’s cunning.


	7. Chapter 7

**Word Count:** chapter: 300||story: 2,100|| **Chapter Count:** 7/26

* * *

The longer he stayed where he was without being disturbed, the more weariness caught at his fur and played with his ears. Here he could sleep in safety and wake to hunt. Here he didn’t have to worry about someone seizing him when he couldn’t defend himself. 

He had few memories that stretched beyond the beginning of this chase, but he thought he’d been safe somewhere before. The pack. He thought of them again, what little he could manage with sleep so enticing. He recalled their scents, a far clearer marking than anything else would have been, and it dawned on him that while he knew said scents, he recalled little else about them. 

Little else except…except… 

They weren’t like him. They weren’t wolves. They weren’t the usual kind of pack, but they were pack all the same. 

He whimpered low in his throat. He should have known more. He remembered and didn’t remember knowing more. He had, once. 

_I’ll never work for you!_

_I look forward to showing you how wrong you are, Blue Ranger!_

A deeper whimper escaped him at that. He didn’t recognize where the words came from but that second set of them enraged him. At the same time, it terrified him. His claws dug into the soft ground beneath him and he wondered if he should get up and run even more, flee until he found true safety. 

No. No. He was safe enough here and if he stepped out too soon, then he would be chased again. He had to wait his pursuer out and only leave when no one waited for him. 

Or he could find a safer place to leave from. 

**To Be Continued**

**Notes:** What are you planning, Billy?


	8. Chapter 8

**Word Count:** chapter: 300||story: 2,400|| **Chapter Count:** 8/26

* * *

His wolf couldn’t hide from him. He could try - he was trying - but Lord Zedd knew the mark of his own magic and could see right to him. He shifted his grip on his staff and pondered yet again just blasting that area to nothing and picking up the Blue Ranger’s four-legged form from the ruins. 

A very entertaining idea but one he put off for now. As much as he wanted his wolf back, he also enjoyed the hunt, and seeing the Blue Ranger reduced to a simple animal thrilled him. Soon enough it would be over, no matter what. 

The Power Rangers and Zordon would be searching for their Blue Ranger, of course. Even someone like Rito or Goldar could figure that one out. Zedd refused to surrender his wolf before even claiming him. 

Dealing with this remained simple enough. He raised his staff, focusing on the area around where his wolf had taken refuge. A beam of pale red light shot forth, darting down to Earth, and encircling the forest. 

_There. Now no one can get in or out unless they work for me!_ That would allow Goldar to enter, if he ever found a gap big enough to shove his lumbering body into, and would allow his wolf out, should he accept Lord Zedd as his master. A very useful spell, and one he used only when he had no other choice. It would last only until the following sunrise and couldn’t be cast again until the sunrise after _that_. 

But that would be more than time enough to get his wolf’s training properly begun, and perhaps by the time the sun rose, said wolf would walk out, ready to accept his master’s hand. 

**To Be Continued**

**Notes:** Now what does _Zedd_ have planned? And from now on, updates are one chapter a day until completion.


	9. Chapter 9

**Word Count:** chapter: 300||story: 2,700|| **Chapter Count:** 9/26

* * *

He slept. He didn’t fully mean to, though he knew that he needed to. He meant only to rest a brief time before he hunted for food or tried to escape from here without his own hunter following him. 

But he needed to rest first and he set his muzzle on his paws for what he _knew_ would only be a few minutes. 

When his eyes opened again, fingers of shadow reached from horizon to horizon and here in his cozy temporary lair, it was as dark as deepest night. 

He flexed as he rose, trying to piece together what happened while he slept. The day passed. His enemy didn’t find a way to him. 

He tilted his head up and sniffed the breeze. There was a hint of something he didn’t recognize in the air, but it held nothing of the simian stench of the hunter. If he didn’t recognize it, couldn’t identify it as safe, he refused to trust it. 

Carefully he padded forward, taking each step with far more care than he might normally have. Though he wasn’t certain if he had a normal to compare it to. All of his memories began with fleeing the creature and anything else he knew came from instincts and vague hints that he couldn’t be certain were true. 

He recalled what he’d considered before: an alternate way to leave here and find his pack. He didn’t know if he needed it now, not if the hunter had given up and left. But he might take it anyway, just to be sure. He couldn’t be too careful. 

First, food, he decided. It was time to hunt. 

He hoped he remembered how. 

**To Be Continued**

**Notes:** Wolves eat most meat-based things. And do not patronize grocery stores or have access to fire. Let’s hope Billy digests quickly.


	10. Chapter 10

**Word Count:** chapter: 300||story: 3,000|| **Chapter Count:** 10/26

Zedd didn’t always watch his projects with this kind of intensity but he knew he needed to keep an eye on what was going on down there with the transformed Blue Ranger. 

_If I don’t, then if Goldar doesn’t screw it up, the Rangers will find a way to get in there and save him._

He wasn’t going to let them do that. He’d gone to far too much trouble not just snaring the Blue Ranger but transforming him in the first place. Now it was time for the next step: training the wolf he’d made to obey him. 

It wouldn’t be easy. While Blue Ranger didn’t retain his human memories, he’d already made it plain that he didn’t trust Goldar. That by itself showed clearly to Zedd that the armored monkey wouldn’t be able to do much other than draw the Rangers right to where he didn’t want them to go. 

He drummed his fingers on the arm of his throne before he scanned to see just what was going on in there. As he’d expected, Goldar remained on guard, leaving a half dozen places where a wolf could escape, if Zedd hadn’t already guarded against that. There wasn’t any sign of the Rangers yet, but that would happen eventually. 

The wolf - his wolf - stalked through the forest, likely in search of food. He hadn’t eaten since before the transformation the previous day. He would be ravenous now. 

If Zedd had lips, he would have smiled. The most perfect of ways to begin the next phase, and his clever wolf would walk right into it. 

**To Be Continued**

**Notes:** Zedd’s more fun to work with than I remembered. I should do this again.


	11. Chapter 11

**Word Count:** chapter: 300||story: 3,300|| **Chapter Count:** 11/26

* * *

His jaws closed down on the squirrel with a triumphant snap. It wasn’t a very large meal but he finished it off as quickly as he could and prowled forward, searching for water and perhaps more food. 

Maybe another squirrel. That one tasted good, though he suspected hunger flavored it to some extent. He didn’t remember squirrel being this delicious before. 

Well, he really didn’t remember eating squirrel at all. But that wasn’t such a surprise. He didn’t remember much from before having woken and fleeing the monsters. 

He spied a stream ahead and hurried toward it, splashing through, washing streaks of blood from his fur. He paused long enough to take some water in, shaking himself afterward, and cast about. Food had to be somewhere. 

He picked a direction and surged towards it, drinking in the air deeply, searching for any scents. What he caught sent him moving toward it with greater speed. Food! He couldn’t be certain of what; it didn’t smell like squirrel but he wanted to find whatever it was and crunch it between his teeth. 

Tracking down that lovely scent took more time than he thought it would. He focused all of his attention on tracking it down. The woods around him blurred as he moved, the air chilling briefly the farther he went. 

He found himself going up a slope and reached the top of a hill. Spread out before him he now saw a breadth of meadow drenched in moonlight. Moving through it he saw a small herd of four-footed, antlered beings. 

_Deer!_ He flexed his claws and circled around so he could approach without them scenting him. This would fill his stomach more than the small creatures would. He stalked carefully, planning his strike well. 

This wasn’t a bad place to live. 

**To Be Continued** **Notes:** A danger of shapeshifting: the longer you’re in it, the more it dominates your thinking.


	12. Chapter 12

**Word Count:** chapter: 300||story: 3,600|| **Chapter Count:** 12/26

* * *

“I found Goldar.” Tommy all but bit the words off. “Look.” 

The Viewing Globe blurred for a few moments as the five Rangers gathered about it, then cleared to reveal a broad strip of tall green trees with a stream trickling through it. Goldar stood just outside of it, staring at what could have been a pathway in, sword in hand. 

“Where is that?” Rocky wanted to know, frowning. “And what’s he doing?” 

Aisha stared into the sphere. “I think he’s waiting for something?” It made sense, though just what he was waiting for she couldn’t guess. 

“Is there anything in there?” Adam wondered. He hesitated for a heartbeat. “Or anyone?” 

Alpha Five scanned even deeper. “I’m not picking up anything except for animals. There are a few traces of Zedd’s magic but nothing active right now.” 

Zordon bent his head, a light frown on his lips. “I will see if I can track it further. Zedd is too cunning to let anything slip by us.” 

No one argued, not when this could result in finding Billy again. All remained silent as Zordon worked, including Zordon himself. Time stretched out, hanging over their heads, and if any of them made a noise, all the rest would’ve come out of their skin. 

“Rangers.” Zordon finally spoke. Tommy jerked up, taking a quick step forward. “Billy is not currently there. But I did detect traces of his energy.” 

Everyone froze where they stood. Zordon continued before any more questions could be asked. 

“There was also an indication of a gateway within. Where it leads, I cannot as yet determine. But I suspect Zedd plans even more wickedness for Billy, above what he may have already done.” 

Tommy drew what he hoped would be a steadying breath. “What else did you find out?” 

**To Be Continued**

**Notes:** The plot moves ahead, ever slowly but surely!


	13. Chapter 13

**Word Count:** chapter: 300||story: 3,900|| **Chapter Count:** 13/26

* * *

He needed a den. This new territory of his – blessedly free of other predators and of the one that chased him before – had to have a place where he could rest. He wasn’t as exhausted as he’d been before, but the closer it drew to dawn, the more he wanted to sleep. He would need to hunt again sooner or later and finding a safe den would help with that. 

The more he cast about for one, the more he learned about the range, and the more he liked it. Thoughts of his strange pack – they weren’t wolves, he knew that – slipped farther into the back of his mind, covered by the necessities of food and shelter and safety. By the time he located a small cave, he paid just enough attention to ensure it was uninhabited and safe, then curled up inside of there. It wasn’t a big den, but as a lone wolf, he didn’t need much space. 

Outside, farther than he could see and invisible even if he’d been there, a circle of scarlet fire wrapped around the length and width of the range, sealing it off from the area around. Just on the outskirts there now stood a tall being that would’ve brought a snarl of hate to the wolf’s lips just by his existence. 

But the wolf remained asleep, curled up with a full stomach and what few thoughts of the future he had only circling around exploration of his terrain. He did not see or smell or hear the intruder as the fires spread and met each other and melded together. There wasn’t a hint of anything burning. 

All remained far too quiet, and even worse, far too hidden from almost every way to detect such evil spells. 

And then the sun rose up. 

**To Be Continued**

**Notes:** I’m at the halfway mark. Time for plot!


	14. Chapter 14

**Word Count:** chapter: 300||story: 4,200|| **Chapter Count:** 14/26

* * *

Zedd strolled into the area he’d defined with his magic: what his wolf would likely think of as ‘his’ territory. 

He would soon learn the hard way that everything here belonged to Lord Zedd, and that included the wolf himself. Zedd rather anticipated training the beast to his hand once and for all. 

_I’ll set him on the Power Rangers. He’ll hunt them all down and shred them all!_

It would be more fascinating if the spell could work on all of them, to transform them into their inner beast. Doing that would take more effort than he wished to put in, not when he’d already managed to take one of them. And the wolf, no less, one of the deadliest creatures on this miserable mudball. 

Though sparing Tommy Oliver in order to keep him as a trained falcon would be delicious as well. He would consider that. He’d never looked well at traitors. 

But first and foremost, he had a wolf to tame, and the sooner the better. He stalked closer to the wolf’s den and stood outside of it for those last few moments before the sun rose and the wolf began to stir within. 

The wind blew in the wrong direction for his future pet to realize he was there before emerging. At this hour, the sun wasn’t high enough to give him away, either, not until the wolf stepped out and froze at once, a ferocious growl building in his throat. 

Lord Zedd laughed. “Do you remember me, Blue Ranger? Or do you think you were born a wolf yet?” He raised his staff and pointed it at the creature. “That’s the risk, you may recall. Another day in this form and you’ll forget every bit of being human. Not even Zordon can save you then!” 

**To Be Continued**

**Notes:** Is Zedd telling the truth? Actually: yes.


	15. Chapter 15

**Word Count:** chapter: 300||story: 4,500|| **Chapter Count:** 15/26

* * *

He growled, lips pulling back to display his fangs, hackles rising, claws digging into the dirt. This creature was his enemy; all the words he said made that plain. The wolf didn’t understand them all but he could feel this was someone to be fought, whether or not he had weapons he understood. 

He had his claws and teeth, his speed and strength. That would have to do. Few enemies could stand up to that. 

He stepped out of his den and a heartbeat later, lightning lashed from the tip of the thing the enemy carried, rendering the den rubble. He leaped forward in time to avoid being hit, aiming for his enemy’s chest, claws out and snarling. 

A powerful blow hit him in the side and he fell, whimpering faintly. It took him a few moments to gather himself enough to see what hit him: the armored winged beast from before. It held a thing in one paw and the wolf guessed that was what hit him. 

More words came from the two of them but he ignored them, rising up to take a careful step back. He wanted to know what he fought before he made another move and ended up hurt. He didn’t know their scent. Their sounds and look weren’t familiar either. But enemies he knew regardless. 

Another lick of lightning darted forth and he dodged it by a whisker’s breath. They could attack at a distance and herd him, he realized, team up on him as a pack wore down big game. He wouldn’t stand a chance if they did that. 

He would have to make a stand, not run, not hide. Whatever they wanted, he couldn’t let them have it. 

He was a wolf. He was no one’s property. He would teach them that. 

**To Be Continued**

**Notes:** Fight? Yup.


	16. Chapter 16

**Word Count:** chapter: 300||story: 4,800|| **Chapter Count:** 16/26

* * *

“There are traces of both transformation magic and teleportational magic in this area,” Zordon told his Rangers. “Both have Zedd’s influence: his signature on them.” 

“All right, that means he’s the one behind this,” Tommy said. That wasn’t surprising. They’d worked that out almost from the beginning. 

“But if he teleported Billy somewhere, then where?” Adam asked what they all wanted to know. The longer this went on, the sooner they would have to come up with a reasonable explanation for Billy’s absence, and their own. They’d already been here for hours and he hadn’t yet come up with something to explain things to his parents. 

“I’m working on that now, Rangers,” Alpha Five reassured them. “We know a large amount of Zedd’s preferred pocket dimensions and how to get into them. We’ll have an answer soon.” 

All the Rangers hoped that would be true. They knew so little about what was going on, besides Zedd’s abduction of their friend, that any answer would have to be useful. 

Rocky fidgeted before he asked the next question. “You said transformation magic. So did he turn Billy into something or did he make a monster or what?” Any of those seemed reasonable in his opinion. 

“I have been tracing the evidence of the spell and all the signs point towards an old incantation that has the effect of transforming someone into whatever beast their soul resonates the most with. For the six of you, that would be your Ninja spirits,” Zordon told them. 

Nervous, unsure glances flew about the room between the Rangers. Aisha broke the sudden silence. “So that means Billy’s a wolf now?” 

“Yes. And we must find him soon: shapeshifting is difficult enough for those skilled and experienced in the art. In this situation, it can be much worse.” 

**To Be Continued**

**Notes:** They’re getting caught up!


	17. Chapter 17

**Word Count:** chapter: 300||story: 5,100|| **Chapter Count:** 17/26

* * *

_Wish I could morph._

The fragment of words flickered only briefly through the wolf’s mind, not staying long enough for him to properly grasp it. What he did gather from it was that he’d once had weapons he could have used in this fight and now he did not. Now the two enemies spoke to one another, ignoring him. 

That was their first mistake. He might not have whatever weapons he’d had before, but he would more than make do. 

He leaped forward at the first one, who had unleashed the lightning, and success thrilled through him as he knocked the creature down and snapped his fangs in his face. He did not want to kill his enemies – though he wasn’t certain of why he didn’t – but he wanted them to accept he should be left alone. 

A shadow came from behind and he jumped away, avoiding being seized by the other one only by a short margin. He twisted around to stare at them again, snarling. Why wouldn’t they leave him alone? He hadn’t done anything to them! 

The reddish one rose up, the shiny stick in his hand again, twisted end pointed towards him. He made noises that the wolf didn’t understand. 

Mostly didn’t understand. Two of them suddenly cleared in his mind and he faintly whimpered. They felt _right_ , as nothing he’d heard before ever had, and that these beings who fought him, wanted to tame and leash him, should say those words wasn’t right at all. He shook his head, trying to throw the effect of them off, and not having much luck. 

The being spoke those two words again, and more with them. These made sense as well, and he truly didn’t want them to. He prepared to strike again. 

“Blue Ranger. Obey me. Now!” 

**To Be Continued**

**Notes:** Zedd’s doing something.


	18. Chapter 18

**Word Count:** chapter: 300||story: 5,400|| **Chapter Count:** 18/26

* * *

Zedd concentrated, weaving the spell: or in more precise terms, editing the spell. He wanted to make certain this wasn’t just a common wolf, like all the others of its kind. He wanted the _Blue Ranger_ , not a mindless beast. The change of shape had been intended to make the boy more obedient to his will, not to make him utterly useless! 

_I will have him know that he serves me, that he destroys his friends because I tell him to do it!_

Which meant tweaking the effects of the spell so that once again the creature before him became aware of what he was and who he was, and preferably who Zedd was. 

He would teach the brat obedience the hard way, if only because it would be far more difficult for Zordon or one of the other Rangers to change it if there wasn’t any spell to break at all. Zedd learned from his mistakes. 

Or tried to, at any rate. 

The wolf paced and stalked, snarling, eyes never leaving the two of them, and more awareness dawning in those eyes as he did. 

“Lord Zedd, do you want me to -” Goldar tried to speak and Zedd waved him to silence with his free hand. This was far more delicate than most spellwork and he wanted to make certain Goldar didn’t screw it up. 

At least Zordon and his Rangers couldn’t. The defenses he’d placed around this little pocket dimension were impenetrable. They would have all the time that he needed to get this done. 

The wolf gathered himself again and far quicker than Zedd anticipated, launched himself, his jaws closing on Zedd’s staff and wrenching it away. Before Zedd could react, he started to flee, staff held tight between his jaws. 

Was he _laughing_ at Zedd? 

**To Be Continued**

**Notes:** When you start to return Billy’s intelligence, things start going wrong.


	19. Chapter 19

**Word Count:** chapter: 300||story: 5,700|| **Chapter Count:** 19/26

* * *

The logic was simple. His attacker used this stick to call lightning to attack him. If he didn’t have the stick, then no lightning. Perhaps the second one, with wings and hard hands - _Goldar_ \- would be able to attack still but the long range ones would stop. 

And if he could get out of range, then he would be safe. 

Safer. 

For a while. 

Find his pack, his instincts reminded him. Find his pack and this would all be over with. He would be safe. 

He would be himself again. 

He wanted to shake his head, to clear it from the odd fluff that filled it, the shadows and clouds that spun inside and on occasion parted to reveal a word or a thought, then closed again, bringing only confusion and chaos. 

He kept running, putting as much distance as he could between himself and his attackers. They would chase him – he could hear their angry cries already – but they would not catch him. He would flee until he found a safe hiding place. He would hide the lightning stick or break it in half: surely his powerful jaws could do that. 

Would they see then that he wasn’t to be trifled with? That they should let him be? Perhaps even return him to his pack? 

No. 

Again the clouds parted in his mind and with crystal clarity he knew they would not give up, that he would be chased forever, until he found his own way to the pack or the pack found him. 

If that were to be the case, then he would do his best to return, and to make his enemies regret they’d ever seen him in the first place. 

But a safe hiding place, for whatever few moments they didn’t find him, first. 

**To Be Continued**

**Notes:** Closer and closer to the end...


	20. Chapter 20

**Word Count:** chapter: 300||story: 6,000|| **Chapter Count:** 20/26

* * *

In the middle of Zordon’s explanation and the search Alpha Five kept running, checking for any traces whatsoever of Billy, alarms began to ring with that familiar claxon call. All five of them were on their feet a heartbeat later. 

“Rangers!” Zordon diverted his attention from trying to explain the one danger Billy was in by another. “We have located Billy. He is in one of Zedd’s pocket dimensions. Lord Zedd and Goldar are there with him. Observe the Viewing Globe.” 

Static filled the sphere for a few seconds and when it cleared, what the Rangers saw wasn’t really what they’d expected. A long strength of deep green grass, like a normal meadow that could be found anywhere on Earth, and bounding through it, Zedd’s staff held firmly between his teeth, was a blue-eyed wolf. 

“That’s Billy,” Adam murmured. It was one thing to hear Zordon tell them that Billy had been turned into a wolf. It was another thing altogether to see a wolf and know it was one of his best friends. 

Tommy stepped right to the important part. “Can we get there and help him?” 

“Passage into the dimension is difficult but not impossible. Just a few minutes, Rangers,” Alpha said, bending over the console. The Rangers kept their attention on the globe, every breath tighter than the one before it. 

Billy was in danger, had been in danger since this started, and they weren’t there with him. He’d been dealing with this, in whatever fashion that he could, for nearly a full day on his own. 

Tommy promised to himself that he wouldn’t let that happen again. Zedd wouldn’t be allowed to keep Billy, no matter what shape he wore. 

“Rangers! Get ready!” Alpha declared without warning. The five of them straightened up. Time to go. 

**To Be Continued**

**Notes:** Six more chapters.


	21. Chapter 21

**Word Count:** chapter: 300||story: 6,300|| **Chapter Count:** 21/26

* * *

He could hear them on his trail. The sharp beat of deadly wings. The rage of words he didn’t altogether understand but knew to be dangerous, threatening his very life. 

So he didn’t stop running. Carrying this lightning stick – which wasn’t made like any kind of wood he knew of – meant he had to pick wherever he holed up at carefully. It was too big for most dens, either not able to fit in or giving him away if he could get into them at all. 

A flying shadow fell over him and he yelped when something struck between his shoulders, sending him head over tail, and dropping the stick as well. When he could see what was going on again, the reddish enemy held the stick and pointed it at him. 

The wolf flinched, convinced at first that lightning would come from it, perhaps even kill him. But instead, something began to exist around him, like hardened water or wind: a shell of some kind that he could see through but as he found out when he slammed into it, could not _move_ through. 

Then, from the top of the invisible shell, pain poured down, coursing through him in the manner of gigantic claws that left no wound but brought howl after howl of pain pealing from his throat. He fell to one side, paws batting at the ground beneath him uselessly, wriggling. 

Footsteps came closer and he tried to get up, wanting to escape. But his legs refused to work and he couldn’t bring in enough air and everything _hurt_ too much. 

Then other voices snapped more words he didn’t understand, though he no longer knew if that was because these strange other beings spoke them or because he hurt too much to listen. 

But the pain stopped. 

**To Be Continued**

**Notes:** You know who arrived.


	22. Chapter 22

**Word Count:** chapter: 300||story: 6,600|| **Chapter Count:** 22/26

* * *

Zedd couldn’t have been angrier about this if he’d put actual effort into being so. He’d finally trapped the Blue Ranger wolf and begun the first steps to teaching him who his master was. But before he could get more than a few yips of pain out of him… 

“That’s enough!” White Ranger declared, stepping ahead of the others. “Let Billy go!” 

“As if that’s going to happen, Rangers!” Zedd snarled, raising his staff and calling for the Tenga Warriors. They could at least keep the Rangers busy while he bundled his wolf off to another pocket dimension, one the Rangers could neither find nor get into if they somehow did find it. 

He had to have one of those somewhere, didn’t he? He couldn’t remember anymore which ones the Rangers could poke their heads into and which ones they couldn’t, Maybe Finster had been keeping track. Someone should have been. 

As the Tenga Warriors struck the Rangers, Zedd turned back to his wolf, who kept snarling and snapping at him and Goldar. He wanted to turn that ferocity on the Rangers right now, for the sheer pleasure of seeing them unable to fight their friend. Their armor would protect them, but for how long? 

How long until one of them powered down to try to speak to their friend and ended up with their throat bared and vulnerable? 

Zedd managed not to cackle at the thought. It wasn’t easy in the slightest. 

But first things first. He moved closer, sending Goldar to take part in the battle with an imperious wave of his staff, and stared at the wolf even harder. The creature stared back at him, growling ferociously, claws digging into the dirt. 

“You will obey me,” he promised, “and there’s nothing anyone can do to stop me.” 

**To Be Continued**

**Notes:** I don’t know about that, Zedd...


	23. Chapter 23

**Word Count:** chapter: 300||story: 6,900|| **Chapter Count:** 23/26

* * *

The wolf – Billy – tried to pull himself up, only to fall again, unable to keep his paws on the ground, no matter how hard he tried. He couldn’t attack or defend himself; the solid air kept him penned in. 

Everything going on outside made it even worse and more confusing. Other two-legged beings appeared in flashes of colored light and began fighting gigantic birds. 

The birds looked somewhat delicious, though now really wasn’t the time. 

One of the beings broke away from the fight and made its way over to the wolf, who spent his pain-filled moments watching and avoiding the red being and their noisy words that grew less and less _noisy_ and more _wordy_ with every moment. 

“Billy,” the newcomer said, holding out his hand, resting it on the solid air. “Billy, it’s me, Adam.” 

The wolf lifted his head, whining. This was as confusing as all the rest of this had been. Then he caught sight of something and forced himself to his feet, whine changing to a deep, throaty snarl. 

The stranger – Adam – was more than a stranger. Was not, in fact, a stranger at all. 

He was pack. A not-wolf, just as he’d recalled, and with another moment, he recognized the others. There to help him, his pack. 

He threw himself at the solid air, snapping, and Adam jumped swiftly to one side, just missing as the red one – Zedd – slammed his staff towards him. Billy tottered on his paws, but with every passing moment, he not only grew stronger, but he could remember more. Something somewhere undid the bonds of the spell, freeing his mind from the dominion of the beast. 

Speaking remained beyond him, but the knowledge of who all of these people were didn’t, not anymore. 

Blue Ranger prepared himself to fight. 

**To Be Continued**

**Notes:** Zedd started the process to make sure Billy’s intelligence remained intact. It worked.


	24. Chapter 24

**Word Count:** chapter: 300||story: 7,200|| **Chapter Count:** 24/26

* * *

“Adam!” Zordon’s voice came from the Black Ranger’s communicator. “Break the barrier imprisoning Billy! I can’t change him back until it’s down.” 

He didn’t have to say it twice. Adam charged at the place he’d felt the invisible barrier, slamming into it repeatedly with all of his strength. He wasn’t the only one; Aisha and Rocky joined in, while the other two kept the Tengas, Zedd, and Goldar occupied. It wasn’t easy by any means and they all knew if they didn’t get this done fast, they would either have to deal with a monster, or Rita and Rito would turn up. Neither of those were very palatable options. 

Adam lost track of how many blows it took before a sudden crack filled the air, and then the barrier shattered, briefly visible shards falling and fading away. The wolf behind the barrier jumped out and Adam stepped forward, thrilled at the sight of his friend – no matter how different he looked. 

“No!” Zedd’s shout came from behind, but even as he reached for them, hand and staff ready to do who knew what, a shining sapphire lightning bolt fell from the heavens, scoring a direct hit on Billy-the-wolf. 

A single high pitched yelp echoed and Adam couldn’t see anything else, not with how the blue smoke roiled up from where the bolt hit. Then all fell silent for ten agonizing heartbeats. 

Adam counted every one of them. And just when he wanted to start raining down laser fire on Zedd and Goldar, a groan rose up and the smoke started to part. 

His hands could be seen first, batting at the smoke in an effort to part it. Adam stumbled forward and grabbed onto the grasping fingers, helping his friend to his feet. 

When the smoke faded, there stood Billy. 

**To Be Continued**

**Notes:** Spell broken!


	25. Chapter 25

**Word Count:** chapter: 300||story: 7,500|| **Chapter Count:** 25/26

* * *

Billy took one unsteady step forward, trying to wrap his mind around everything happening. His legs shook and he just barely noticed Zedd and Goldar teleporting away, Zedd raging at something or other. 

He stepped again, raising his head to stare at the others, but only for a heartbeat before he pitched forward. He didn’t make it to the ground, not with Adam practically appearing next to him to catch him. He blinked for a few moments, still not fully remembering everything. 

“Guys? What happened?” 

Talking felt strange. Like he hadn’t done it in a while. Like his mouth and lips weren’t used to making the movements anymore. 

Adam held onto him even as he steadied himself, worry clear. “What do you remember?” 

Billy closed his eyes for a moment. When he couldn’t see, a flood of other information overwhelmed him. Scent of grass, scent of Adam, faint hints of scorched earth, other aromas assaulted his nose. For a heartbeat he could feel an odd metallic taste in his mouth and recalled the brush of tall grass against his fur – skin. The moment he opened his eyes again, it all faded away. 

“Nothing very clear.” And what he did remember he didn’t understand. He looked from one to the other, trying to figure out what happened and why they all looked so relieved. Clearly Zedd had been up to something, but just what, he couldn’t be certain just yet. 

Adam started to speak, but the communicator interrupted. 

“Rangers, Zedd has sent a monster into downtown Angel Grove.” 

All six of them groaned. Billy drew in a breath and nodded an affirmation before Tommy could even ask if he were ready to do this. Whatever Zedd had in mind, or had tried, they would stop him. 

It was what they did. 

**To Be Continued**

**Notes:** One chapter left!


	26. Chapter 26

**Word Count:** chapter: 300||story: 7,800|| **Chapter Count:** 26/26

* * *

They told him, later. 

He remembered more, later. 

Remembered what it was like to course under the sky and sun, his nose full of scents, his ears full of sounds. 

Remembered the taste of hot meat and how good it was then. 

Remembered the fear of being hunted and not knowing who attacked him. 

Three nights running he woke and at once clutched his arms and legs, assuring himself he wasn’t in fur, that he stayed in his bed. 

On those nights he didn’t sleep once he woke. He could barely close his eyes long enough to blink. 

When a full moon lifted high, Billy found himself outside, staring up at the star-strewn skies. The moon didn’t mean the location of his enemies. Not now. He closed his eyes and he listened for it, for what he hadn’t heard when he wore a wolf’s skin. 

Rising from the night came one howl, then another. Billy listened, knowing once he would’ve possibly understood them. Now they were noise. To a degree. While they held no words, he could feel the meaning: greetings, warnings, and communications of so many other kinds. 

When the moment came, Billy threw his head back and howled from the very bottom of his soul, a cry that he wanted to have say everything that human words couldn’t manage. That he’d missed so much he would have liked to try. 

Silence hung in his wake, silence that hung steady in the air, broken only by his breath. Then another howl followed his and he could feel its meaning above all others, for it was for him. 

_Welcome._

_Good-bye._

Eyes stared at him from the shadows and Billy looked back until they vanished, the faintest whispers of movement through the trees and bushes. Then another howl, closer. Final. 

_Brother._

**The End**

**Notes:** And that’s it!


End file.
